2014 NCAA Championship Storyline
Never in the History of the NCAA Championship has an 8th seeded team (Kentucky Wildcats) faced a 7th seeded team (Connecticut Huskies). With every victory and every Aaron Harrison game winning shot, Kentucky is putting together a tournament run that will rank among the greatest, most remarkable, and the most improbable of all time. Kentucky at least, has some company as s a No. 8 seed in a title game. The Butler Bulldogs made it there as a No. 8 seeded team in 2011, only to be overpowered by the Connecticut Huskies. The Villanova team of 1985 was on the No. 8 line in 1985 when they became, and remain the lowest seed ever to cut down the nets. Connecticut's magical run of this year isn't too far behind either. Since the NCAA entered into the 64-team format in 1985, there has never been a No. 7 seed to play in the national championship game. The Huskies have ended this 29-year old streak.
We should see a fairly close game as Kentucky has become the first team to win 4 games in a row in the NCAA Tournament by 5 points or fewer. One thing we have learned is that if either team gets down by double digits in this championship game, they are very capable of come back. The Wildcats have run up against a number 1 seeded Wichita State Shockers, the defending National Champions Louisville Cardinals, a number 2 seeded Michigan Wolverines team, another number 2 seeded Wisconsin Badgers team and Kentucky has dispatched all Four of these teams. UConn's run has been pretty good but, not nearly on the same level as the Wildcats team they will face in the championship game. The Huskies run has included a number 4 seeded Michigan State Spartans team who many experts and fans picked to bring home the national championship trophy, and just last night, they defeated the number 1 overall seed of the whole tournament, the Florida Gators.
Last year UConn was not even eligible to participate in the tournament due to being academically ineligible, and Kentucky was not even selected to participate in the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky was sent to the NIT tournament where they were upset and embarrassed in the first round by Robert Morris University. These two storied universities have combined for 18 NCAA titles and after this matchup, another title will be added to the total count. Only one of these two teams' magical run will end with a National Championship, while the other will go home with nothing but a story.
By Steven Spector -4-6-14
